1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening device for use in surgical procedures to secure a suture.
2. Background of the Art
Sutures are commonly used to close incisions and to reunite damaged tissue. Typically, the sutures are passed through the tissue and the free ends of the sutures are tied together. In many instances, the suturing site is exposed to an extent sufficient to permit the surgeon to quickly tie the suture by hand. However, in some procedures such as arthroscopic, laparoscopic or endoscopic surgery, the suturing site is inaccessible by hand. As a result, the surgeon is usually required to tie the suture ends into a knot at a location remote from the suture site, and then manipulate suitably configured instruments for sliding the knot to the site.
For example, arthroscopic surgical procedures usually employ a small diameter cannula that extends through a small incision made in a joint. The sutures extend from the suturing site through the cannula. The exposed free ends of the sutures are tied by the surgeon and the knot is slid through the cannula to the suturing site.
Likewise, laparoscopic or endoscopic surgery also relies on small diameter cannulas inserted through small incisions in body tissue to gain access to the interior of the body. The operating instruments have relatively long and narrow portions which are inserted through a cannula to perform the operation in the interior of the body. The instrumentation for such procedures is actuated from outside the body. It can readily be understood that the dexterity required to free suture ends under such conditions not only places a burden upon the operating personnel, but also poses a greater risk to the patient.
Various devices are known which attempt to deal with the aforementioned problem.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,731 to Hayhurst discloses a suture clip for engaging one or more suture thread lines. The Hayhurst suture clip, in an open position, is slidable along the suture(s). When positioned at the suturing site, the Hayhurst clip may then be closed to fix the position of the clip, thereby securing the suture(s).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,698 to Fuchs et al. discloses a button type suture retainer including a disk having a slot which extends to a passage for guiding a suture thread therethrough within the circumference of the disk. The passage is sealed by a clamping device for clamping a thread in the passage. The clamping device includes a disk segment movable parallel with the disk over the slot and passage to a latched position where its inner marginal part is past the passage, thereby bending the thread and holding it by friction and compression.
Other suture fixation devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,753,438; 3,857,396; 3,910,281; 3,976,079; 4,387,489; 4,750,492; and 4,969,892.
While the aforementioned devices perform the function of suture retention, there is yet need for an improved suture retainer clip which is simple in construction, easy to apply, and usable in laparoscopic or endoscopic or arthroscopic applications as well as in conventional surgical procedures.